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[Crisium]

I remember renting this game when it came out in 1996 and getting to ~ The Forest Maze before returning it. Of course I asked for the game for Christmas, and I've replayed it many times over the years. It's still up there in my all-time favourite RPGs.

In every way it is a masterful game on the SNES. Some of the best use of the sound chip and catchy tunes, incredible pre-rendered graphics, a simple but more engaging and innovative combat system (timed attacks), a fun adventure story full of humor while you travel around the world, jumping in an RPG, many fun minigames and secrets, and short enough to not overstay its welcome. Outstanding in all regards.

 

[Theanine3D]

My favorite game of all time.

If any of you have Rift DK1 or DK2 VR headset, I made a free short VR demo based on Star Hill that some of you may like. It was my love letter to the game that inspired me to get into game development. The wishing stars in the demo all have the same quotes from the actual game, so it's a nice trip down memory lane. (If you don't have a Rift, you can watch fellow GAF user Charles Alan Ratliff play it here)

I intend on updating it to add HTC Vive support, once I can afford one.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

For some reason this game always calls to mind the late 90s world wide web.

Low quality gifs of all of those character renders splashed all over Geocities fan pages.

Good times.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Bowser joining the party is indeed on of the highlights of my gaming life

 

[metalmania4evr]

I usually play this once a year, my favorte rpf of all time. So much fun and all the charm is amazing. I also never considered any other mario rpgs as sequels or successors, still waiting like everyone else Bring this game back! Give us the sequel everyone wants!

 

[Mudcrab]

Mario, Princess, Bowser

The dream team imo

Group Hug too real.

 

[IrishNinja]

man, i remember being hyped taking the bus to pick up my copy day 1! game's not in my personal top 10, but it was great & didn't disappoint

Also, I put an obscene amount of time into that little mini game on the gameboy thing in-game.

also this!

 

[The Lamonster]

For some reason this game always calls to mind the late 90s world wide web.

Low quality gifs of all of those character renders splashed all over Geocities fan pages.

Good times.

Dude!! Exact same feeling too. I was also there, perusing SMRPG fan sites using Netscape Navigator and the like lol

I was 12 years old...

 

[Pro]

Mario, Princess, Bowser

The dream team imo

Mario, Princess, Geno is the dream team. Lazy Shell, Frying Pan, and Star Gun were the highest damage output I could get. Bowser's Drill Claw wasn't very strong in comparison. If you could get the Super Suit on Mario and give Geno the Attack Scarf and Princess the Jynx Belt you'd really be the strongest you could be. I got the Super Suit only one time in all the times I've played it. 20 years...Wow.

 

[Giever]

Holy shit I just got the name Axem Rangers

 

[PSqueak]

The ultimate Beginner RPG, you get this for your young relative wanting to get into RPGs and they will rightfully be hooked on the genre forever.

 

[Professor Beef]

Certainly not the best RPG of all time (not even the best one with Mario in it), but it's up there. Tons of fond memories with this game. To be young again...

Spoiler

i agree, it's much better than FF6

I remember sending a written letter to Nintendo asking for various secrets about the game, and they actually replied back with detailed answers. I would do it with a few games actually.

 

[RoyaleDuke]

Damn man, the memories.

To this day it is my favorite game of all time.

 

[A Link to the Past]

It's still a colorful game.

My point was that Mario RPGs only became more colorful as the series grew, and thus it only stands to benefit from being remade in that respect

 

[Seik]

I still hope that someday...someone tries to do a basic fan-remake with whatever models...like Smash 4's?

Just a demo, something, to let me dream. Like all those OoT Unreal Engine 4 videos I can see on youtube... :lol

 

[Alex_Mexico]

My very first RPG as well. I remember reading the instruction manual on the way home and being puzzled about all this talk about HP and FP, I couldn't understand a thing! Then when I saw my first goomba outside of Mario's Pad I tried jumping on it and--what's this? this weird combat system is going to play with each and every enemy? I thought it was going to be for bosses only or something!

Needless to say I'm still waiting for a true sequel. Paper Mario and the M&L games don't hold a candle to this gem from the Squaresoft heyday.

 

[Muffdraul]

I really liked SMRPG, but I think some tend to... overrate it a bit. I don't think Square has ever openly admitted it, but I suspect the project was partially so they could experiment and learn how to design pre-rendered CG backgrounds in preparation for FFVII. Compare them sometime, note the similarity in view angles and interior cutaways. They did openly admit that one of the reasons behind Parasite Eve was to learn the ins and outs of the new FFVIII engine.

 

[Samemind]

I can't call it the best RPG ever with it being so easy. I think it was my first rpg as well. Great graphics, music, and atmosphere.

I was recently playing the Revolution version which made the game harder, but it overdid or did it poorly in some cases. I stopped near the end of the game where the coder put in a new boss and I was fighting it for a while wondering if it could die, I looked up a let's play to see what other people did and basically the boss had a ton of HP and it could take over an hour to beat. That was just a stupid design choice to me. I might just finish up the game with the original version.

Also how do you find Metroid? During my last play I never saw her. That looks like Mushroom Kingdom, but I didn't see her there.

I remember taking what must have been at least a dozen tries to beat the final boss, most times didn't make it past the first form. Sure, I didn't know about prioritizing actions or how good it was to have a full group heal but that doesn't change the exhilaration I felt when I finally beat Smithy. I suppose I'm grateful for Square making Baby's First JRPG, given that it was my first one.

 

[Brandon F]

It wasn't until browsing the internet years later that I discovered ppl loved Geno. They are all nuts.

 

[Omegasquash]

The game oozed charm from every pore. I still have it, and I still play it once every few years or so. I can't wait to share it with my kids.

And Paper Mario...it could have gone this route, you know? The M&L series is a hoot, don't get me wrong, but SM RPG worked in fun mechanics without being too overbearing about them, and left the additional "stuff" by the wayside. A couple of challenges, a decently paced and long (enough) experience, great production value...and all that on top of the charm I mentioned earlier.

Makes me miss those days, but it's mostly just nostalgia. There's quality stuff out there right now that this and others like it inspired.

 

[Josh5890]

I bought this on the wii viritual console the day it launched. I think it I put an hour into it and that was it. It's on my list of retro games I want to finish eventually.

 

[Mega]

I bought the game this year for SNES. I only got an hour into it but I intend to pick it back up soon and finish. The only reason I stopped is that my CRTs are too sharp and don't present the game in the best light.

 

[SpecX]

I remember seeing this in the store and ignoring it till it went in sale. I had my mom buy it since I was out of new games for my SNES and didn't have a new system yet and boy was I floored at how amazing this was.

I remember getting to the hotel and staying a ton of extra nights and my jaw hit the floor when the manager made me stay and work off my debt owed to them.

The side activities in this game were beyond anything else and this will always be a top 10 game for me.

 

[Woody Invincible]

Certainly not the best RPG of all time (not even the best one with Mario in it), but it's up there. Tons of fond memories with this game. To be young again...

Spoiler

i agree, it's much better than FF6

I remember sending a written letter to Nintendo asking for various secrets about the game, and they actually replied back with detailed answers. I would do it with a few games actually.

Yeah, I did that several times for Shadowgate. It was awesome to receive a real letter from a game counselor that wasn't a computer. For free. Bless you Nintendo.

 

[metalmania4evr]

So how likely does gaf think that this will make it onto Wii U/N3DS VC? Personally, I don't think too likely but you never know! Geno got a costume as a wii fighter in smash 4, which is just amazing to me. I bought it just to support Mario RPG, I dont even play as mii fighter.

 

[SparksterMeta0]

Dang that's old. I feel old!

And yes. Geno is an awesome character. He doesn't get any love these days.

 

[Lelcar]

Dang that's old. I feel old!

I'll say! I played this game right when it came out, my aunt bought it for me for $96 CAD. That was twenty years ago? omg

 

[brian!]

 

[oatmeal]

My favorite RPG too.

Hate that I have it on Wii but not Wii U.

Also, my physical copy disappeared in the not too distance past and that hurts.

 

[illadelph]

Belome was fucking insane. I used to get absolutely wrecked in the second fight with that dude.

Mario RPG was my favorite game growing up.

 

[Illucio]

I hope the game gets a remake or a direct sequel that isn't Paper Mario. But Square doesn't seem interested.

 

[Onemic]

One of my favourite RPGs of all time and my first RPG ever.

 

[SirSwirl]

Ah Super Mario RPG, I have great memories with this one. My first RPGs were Paper Mario, Pokemon Yellow, and Golden Sun, I think in that order. And after going on and on to a friend about how much I loved Paper Mario, they told me of a game similar to it they had to show me.

Have so many fond memories playing this at my friend's place. I'd go there whenever I could just to get farther and farther into it. I remember my friend giving me tons of tips, which I needed as I got stuck at a few parts (looking at you Yardivoach). It goes really well with Paper Mario given all the similarities the two have, and I loved everything about this game. The characters, the battle system, the story, etc.

Nowadays I still think it stands as one of the best Mario RPGs, and it's somewhere around my Top 3 for the series. The battle system still works great, and the world and characters have so much great charm to them that it's always a delight to go through again.

But what really separates this from the other Mario RPGs for me, and puts it above them even, is the wonderful fast pacing outside of battle. I love how Super Mario RPG doesn't give you tons of abilities to use outside of battle, as it makes areas so much more fun to go through as you like. There's none of this having to stop and switch to a certain partner or switch your bros attacks, you're always on the move, and always having fun, and I always thought the world design was very good for being able to make so many unique and fun areas through the only mechanics of running and jumping. It has all the other Mario RPGs sometimes feel slow in comparison, but I don't mind much.

The only negative thing I can say here is that despite my love for this game I've never been one for Geno. His character never struck me as having much personality, and he seems to just be the exposition character. I enjoyed the others more, with Bowser being my personal favorite, but they're all well done. Never forget Group Hug and Mario being able to transform.

 

[TrounceX]

Its always crazy to me when I look at release dates for some of these old games.

In this case, I vividly remember getting SMRPG around release, but that would mean I just turned 6 years old. Were 6 year olds supposed to be playing games like this? Ok its a Mario game so maybe, but I would have been 7 when FF7 released and I got that around Christmas after release.

I guess I'm just surprised I had the wherewithall to be completing games at that age. Maybe that's normal though.

Anyways, great game. In scared to replay it though. Doesn't seem like it would hold up.